Chill Down With 3 Antioxidant-Rich Red Wine Cocktail Recipes
The affirmation that a glass of red wine a day is a healthy part of a well-rounded diet probably has had you clambering for your favorite bottles for some time now. But as summer approaches, it might be white wine and not red that’s struck your fancy. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with enjoying a glass of chilled white or rosé, take advantage of the health benefits of red all the way through the summer with three delicious red wine cocktails.
1. Sparkling Red Wine Cocktail
Start out with this delicious sparkling red wine cocktail from Martha Stewart. It takes advantage of the naturally sparkling quality of Lambrusco wine, an Italian red. Sweetened with sugar and sparkling orange juice, this cocktail is perfect for enjoying alongside hors d’oeuvres all summer long. The addition of cinnamon is a perfect warming touch for fall, but you can feel free to exclude it in the spring and summer months.
2. Cardinal Cocktail
You may have already tried a cousin of the Cardinal cocktail: a kir is a French cocktail combining white wine and crème de cassis; the kir royale subs white wine with Champagne. As for the cardinal, it’s the version of the drink that uses red wine instead of white. This combination of cassis and red wine is perfectly sweet. Float a blackberry or black currant in the drink as a garnish.
3. Tinto de Verano
Tinto de verano is Spanish for “summer red wine.” This cocktail was made for summertime! A play on the traditional wine spritzer, this drink combines lemon-lime soda and red wine for a delicious and refreshing beverage. The version drunk by the youth of Spain, particularly in the Basque country, is known as calimotxo and is made with cola instead of soda.
If you’re still looking for more red wine cocktails, try some of our personal favorites from the OA archives:
- Traditional red sangria includes local fruits as well as red wine
- Watermelon red wine sangria may not be the best seasonal choice right now, but before you know it, local melons will be making this your favorite party beverage
Image: rocojulie
